Drugs bust defendant claimed he was in flat to use shower

A Donegal man and a Dublin man have been imprisoned following a drugs seizure at a flat in Carrickmines, Dublin, in January 2021. Ronan McCallig, aged 53, and Andy Whelan, aged 31, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of cannabis and cocaine for sale or supply. Gardaí executed a search warrant at the property and recovered cannabis estimated at €204,658 in street value, along with cocaine valued at approximately €300 and €5,000 in cash. Analysis of their mobile phones indicated discussion of the drugs operation. Judge Pauline Codd imposed five-year prison sentences on both men, suspending two years of Whelan's term and eighteen months of McCallig's sentence. The judge noted the quantity of drugs involved and their harmful effects on individuals and communities. McCallig's legal team referenced his previous employment as a fisherman in Donegal and construction work before the pandemic affected his employment.